Preview: Notre Dame will host BYU Cougars after loss on the road to Pitt

BYU Cougars and Notre Dame get set to battle again
Photo by: Deseret Morning News

Coming off their disappointing loss to Pittsburgh, Notre Dame will play Brigham Young Football (BYU) at home and hope to avoid another upset.

The stakes are definitely lower after losing any chance at a BCS bowl game but the Fighting Irish have find a way to stay motivated and finish out their season strong. BYU nearly beat Notre Dame last year in South Bend and will be eager to take down the battered Irish. Notre Dame will be in trouble if the Pitt loss causes any half-hearted performances out of some of the players.

BYU will have deal with the size and athleticism of Notre Dame. The Irish should be able to control the line of scrimmaged on both sides of the ball.

Unfortunately for Notre Dame, star defensive lineman Louis Nix will be out for the remainder of the season due to a torn meniscus and ensuing surgery. Nix, a future first round draft pick, seems to still be on the fence about whether he will return to Notre Dame for his last year of eligibility before moving on to the NFL. Nix has been a key member of the Irish defense for the past few seasons and will be tough to replace.

Regardless, Notre Dame has plenty of guys that should be able to do some damage and disrupt BYU’s game plan.

The Notre Dame offense needs to get back on track and eliminate turnovers. Quarterback Tommy Rees threw two late interceptions last game that gave Pitt the opportunity to take the win. Notre Dame is simply not good enough this season to win games while committing multiple turnovers. The running game needs to continue to take pressure off of Rees.

Hopefully we can get another look at freshman running back Tarean Folston who has a great chance of being Notre Dame’s starter for years to come.

The seniors will be playing their last game at home and will be honored before the game. Tommy Rees has taken a lot of heat from fans over his career but no one can say he hasn’t given his all to Notre Dame. The Irish cannot give up the rest of the season. BYU is gonna be hungry for a win and needs to be met with high energy from the start.

One last win at home for Rees and the seniors will give Notre Dame the spark they need before heading to Stanford. Notre Dame still has a chance to finish out the season on a high note if they can get by BYU, upset Stanford and win a small bowl game.